1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to printing calculators and, more particularly, to a novel portable calculating and recording means wherein information may be printed on a pad of paper.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the past, conventional printing calculators have used a system of motor driven gears to move a printhead from side to side and to advance the paper in a paper roll. This is quite adequate for many purposes, especially when long columns of figures are to be tallied. However, in other instances, it has several disadvantages. The paper roll, motor and batteries consume a certain amount of bulk, detracting from portability. If the printing calculator is to be used to record transactions, the paper roll is inconvenient for on-hand storage and quick reference. If printing is desired on forms with varying formats, conventional printing calculators are totally inadequate.
For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,920,979 provides a calculator for the purposes of printing checks and recording their issue. The motor, gears and paper roll result in a device too large to be carried constantly for convenient use. To refer to previous transactions, the device must be opened and the paper roll unraveled. Two printheads are required so that both checks and recordal medium can be printed. No provision at all is made for printing deposit slips.
In the absence of a convenient transaction printing calculator, manual processes have been used, which have led to frequent errors, both of calculation and omission. A non-printing calculator may be utilized, but this adds time and effort rather than lessening them, and still does not prevent the user from neglecting to record a transaction once it has been made.
Therefore, a long standing need has existed to provide an improved portable printing means including calculating means which would assure maintenance of properly computed balances, print pertinent information onto recordal sheets as well as various transaction forms and still be compact, efficient and convenient.